Method and apparatus for displaying state of apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method of displaying a state of an apparatus having a user interface which includes generating state display information indicating the state of the apparatus and displaying the generated state display information in the user interface. The state display information indicates the state of the apparatus through a metaphorical indicator.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No.10-2007-0074096, filed on Jul. 24, 2007 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in itsentirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate todisplaying a state of an apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

To check the general state of an electronic device, a user may directlyopen the device. Alternatively, the user may indirectly check the stateof the device by commanding a particular function and monitoring thestate of operation of the device according to the command. Examples ofthe general states of an electronic device include, but are not limitedto: whether all functions of the electronic device are properly working;and whether articles or materials used to perform a particular functionare sufficiently provided in the device. However, these methods areinconvenient because the user needs to perform a separate job to checkthe state of the device.

Currently, the user may operate various devices through a variety ofuser interfaces included in digital devices. However, a problem existsin that the user interface is limited to only delivering a controlcommand by the user to a digital device, and not used for otherpurposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method of displaying the state of anapparatus to enable monitoring of the state of the apparatus withoutperforming a separate job by indicating the state of the apparatus onthe apparatus, and an apparatus for performing the method.

The present invention also provides a state display method performed inan apparatus in which a user interface is capable of displaying stateapparatus information in addition to delivering a user command bydisplaying the state of the apparatus on the user interface, and anapparatus for performing the method.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of displayinga state of an apparatus having a user interface includes: generatingstate display information indicating the state of the apparatus, anddisplaying the generated state display information in the userinterface, wherein the state display information indicates the state ofthe apparatus through a metaphorical indicator.

The user interface may include a button.

The state display information of the apparatus may include informationindicating a general state of the apparatus, a possibility of performinga particular function by the apparatus, or an amount of material or thenumber of articles remaining to perform the particular function by theapparatus.

The amount of material or number of articles may be at least one ofpaper and ink.

The generating of the state display information may include receiving arequest to perform a particular function through the user interface,performing the particular function in response to the request, detectingan amount of material or the number of articles remaining after theparticular function is performed, and generating the state displayinformation indicating a degree of the remaining amount of material ornumber of articles in response to the detection.

The remaining amount of material or number of articles may be at leastone of the number of remaining papers and the amount of remaining ink.

In the generating of the state display information, the state displayinformation may be generated by extracting state display informationcorresponding to the detected amount of material or number of articlesamong state display information that is already stored.

The generating of the state display information may include generatingstate display information indicating a degree of each remaining amountof material or number of articles when the amount of material or numberof articles that is consumed to perform the particular function isplural.

The generating of the state display information may include receiving arequest to perform a particular function through the user interface,accumulating the number of requests to perform the particular function,and generating state display information indicating the accumulationnumber.

The apparatus may include a plurality of user interfaces, and a requestto perform a particular function is made through each user interface.

The generating of the state display information may include assigning anorder according to the accumulation number by comparing the accumulationnumber with an accumulation number to perform another function, andgenerating state display information indicating assigned order.

In the generating of the state display information, the state displayinformation may be generated by extracting state display informationcorresponding to the accumulation number of request to perform theparticular function among state display information that is alreadystored.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an apparatus fordisplaying a state includes a state display information processingportion generating state display information by displaying a state ofthe apparatus through a metaphorical indicator, and a user interfaceoutputting the generated state display information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following detailed descriptions of exemplaryembodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for performing a state displaymethod according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a state apparatus information generation methodaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a state display informationgeneration method according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 illustrates state display information according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates state display information according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates state display information according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for performing a state displaymethod according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Inan exemplary embodiment of the present invention, all digital deviceshaving a user interface may be the apparatus for performing a statedisplay method.

Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for performing a state display methodaccording to an exemplary embodiment includes a state displayinformation processing portion 100, a user interface 110, a controlportion 120, a memory portion 130, a function processing portion 140,and an output portion 150. The state display information processingportion 100 detects the state of an apparatus and generates statedisplay information according to the detected state of the apparatus,wherein the state display information includes information indicatingthe state of each of a plurality of constituent elements included in anapparatus or the total state of an apparatus including all constituentelements. When the apparatus is a multi-functional apparatus capable ofperforming various functions, the state display information may includeinformation indicating whether each function of the apparatus can beperformed, or a degree of capability. For example, when the apparatus isa multi-functional apparatus capable of performing functions such ascopying, scanning, and faxing, the state display information may includeinformation indicating whether all functions of the multi-functionalapparatus can be performed in an optimal state, whether each function ofthe apparatus such as copying, scanning, or faxing can be performed inan optimal state, which function is frequently used by a user, or howmany articles or how much materials, such as paper or ink, is/are leftin the apparatus to perform a particular function. For example, when theink used by the apparatus is color ink, the state display informationmay be displayed to inform the remaining amount of ink for each color.

The state display information processing portion 100 includes a statedetection portion 101 and a state display information generation portion103 to generate the state display information. The state detectionportion 101 detects a change in the state of the apparatus. That is, thestate detection portion 101 detects the state of constituent elementsincluded in the apparatus, the capability of functions of the apparatus,or the remaining degree of material or articles needed for the apparatusto perform the functions. When a user requests the performance of aparticular function through the user interface 110, the state detectionportion 101 accumulates the number of requests for the particularfunction by the user, and detects a function that is frequently used bythe user. The state display information generation portion 103 generatesthe state display information using a change in the state of theapparatus detected by the state detection portion 101. The state displayinformation generation portion 103 generates the state displayinformation so that the user can intuitively or suggestively recognizethe state of the apparatus. The state display information may begenerated when the user requests the performance of a function using theuser interface 110 or the user separately requests the generation of thestate display information. Also, the state display information may begenerated without a user's request when there is a change in the stateof the apparatus. The generated state display information may bedisplayed on the user interface 110, the output portion 150, or anoutput portion (not shown) that outputs only the state displayinformation.

The user interface 110 receives commands, letters, numbers or voiceinformation from the user and includes a physical transducer such as akeyboard, mouse, a touch pad, or a microphone. In an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, the user interface 110 includes abutton used to request a particular function to the apparatus. Also, inan exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the user interface 110can output the state display information of the apparatus.

The control portion 120 controls the general operation of the apparatusaccording to the user request through the user interface 110. Also, thecontrol portion 120 controls the apparatus to generate and output statedisplay information according to the present invention. The controlportion 120 includes an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) for performingcalculations and a register for temporarily storing data and commands.

The memory portion 130 stores programs needed to perform variousfunctions of the apparatus or generate the state display informationaccording to an aspect of the present invention and includes a highspeed main memory of a storage medium type such as a (Random AccessMemory) (RAM) or a Read Only Memory (ROM); an auxiliary memory of along-term storage medium type such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, atape, a CD-ROM, or a flash memory; and an apparatus for storing datausing electricity, magnetism, optics, or other storage media. In anexemplary embodiment, the memory portion 130 may generate, in advance,the state display information or store the state display information byobtaining the state display information from other media. In this case,the state display information generation portion 103 may generate thestate display information by extracting state display informationcorresponding to a change in the state of the apparatus of the statedisplay information previously stored in the memory portion 130.

The function processing portion 140 performs various functions accordingto the type of the apparatus. For example, when the type of theapparatus is a cellular phone, the function processing portion 140 mayperform a wireless communication function. For MP3 players, the functionprocessing portion 140 can reproduce a media signal. Formulti-functional devices, the function processing portion 140 performscopying, scanning, or fax transmission according to the control of auser.

The output portion 150 outputs a result according to the functionrequested by the user through a screen or a speaker. The output portion150 may include, but is not limited to, a display portion (not shown)which outputs video signals, a speaker (not shown) which outputs audiosignals, and/or an OSD processing portion (not shown) which generatesand outputs an apparatus control list. When the apparatus is amulti-functional device, the output portion 150 may output copying orscanning results.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a state display information generation methodaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referringto FIG. 2, the apparatus of FIG. 1 receives a request to perform aparticular function through the user interface 110 from the user(Operation 210). The control portion 120 issues a command to perform thefunction to the function processing portion 140 in response to the userrequest. Thus, the function processing portion 140 performs the functionrequested by the user according to the command of the control portion120 (Operation 220). The state detection portion 101 detects a change inthe state of the apparatus according to the performance of the functionby the function processing portion 140. The state detection portion 101may detect the amount of material or the number of articles remainingafter consumption for the performance of the function requested by theuser (Operation 230). The state detection portion 101 sends informationindicating the remaining amount of material or number of articles to thestate display information generation portion 103. The state displayinformation generation portion 103 generates state display informationindicating the remaining amount of material or number of articles byusing the information about the state change received from the statedetection portion 101 (Operation 240).

When the state display information is already stored in the memoryportion 130, the state display information generation portion 103generates state display information by extracting state displayinformation corresponding to the amount of material or number ofarticles remaining from the state display information already stored inthe memory portion 130. The state display information generation portion103 may express the remaining amount of material in detail and in anintuitive, sensitive or humorous manner. For example, when a userrequests the performance of a copy function in the multi-functionaldevice, the state detection portion 101 detects the number of papersheets or the amount of ink remaining after consumption for the copyfunction performed by the function processing portion 140. The statedisplay information generation portion 103 may generate state displayinformation indicating the remaining number of paper sheets afterconsumption in a detailed form or indirectly using a metaphoricalindicator. The method of generating state display information using ametaphorical indicator will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4through 6. The state display information generation portion 103 mayoutput the generated state display information through the OSDprocessing portion included in the output portion 150, the userinterface 110, or by using a separate button indicating the statedisplay information.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart explaining a state display information generationmethod according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 3, an apparatus receives a user request through theuser interface 110 to perform a particular function (Operation 310). Thestate detection portion 101 detects the user request to perform thefunction and accumulates the number of user requests to perform theparticular function (Operation 320). When the apparatus has a pluralityof functions, the state detection portion 101 may accumulate the numberof requests for each of the functions by the user. The state detectionportion 101 sends the accumulation number to the state displayinformation generation portion 103. The state display informationgeneration portion 103 generates state display information using thenumber of function performance requests accumulated in the statedetection portion 101 (Operation 330).

The state display information generation portion 103 assigns an order tothe function performance requests made by the user for each of thefunctions that can be performed by the apparatus according to thefrequencies of requests, i.e., the number of times requests are made andgenerates state display information indicating the order. When theapparatus is a multi-functional device, the state display informationgeneration portion 103 can generate state display information indicatingthe number of function performance requests by the user for each of thefunctions such as a fax, a scan, and a copy function. When a pluralityof user interfaces are included in the multi-functional device and theuser requests each particular function performance through each of theuser interfaces, the state display information generation portion 103can output state display information indicating a function performancenumber to a user interface used for requesting a function that the userfrequently uses and a user interface used for requesting a function thatthe user does not use much.

FIG. 4 illustrates state display information according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, a screen 400of a multi-functional device includes a pair of buttons 410 and 420. Thescreen 400 of the multi-functional device is included in the outputportion 150 of the apparatus and the buttons 410 and 420 are included inthe user interface 110 provided in the apparatus. Although in FIG. 4 thebuttons 410 and 420 are used as the user interface 110, the presentinvention is not limited thereto and the user interface 110 may includea keyboard, a mouse, a touch pad, a touch screen, or a microphone thatcan receive a command from the user. Each of the buttons 410 and 420 isused to request a particular function of the apparatus. When theapparatus can copy in color or in black and white, the user can select acolor or black and white copy function using the buttons 410 and 420included in the screen 400, respectively. When the user requests thecolor or black and white copy function using the buttons 410 and 420,respectively, the function processing portion 140 performs the functionrequested by the user according to the command of the control portion120. The state detection portion 101 detects ink or paper consumed asthe function processing portion 140 performs the copy function and theamount of remaining ink or the number of remaining paper sheets. Whenthe ink is color ink, the state detection portion 101 can detect theamount of remaining ink for each color. The state detection portion 101sends the detected amount of remaining ink to the state displayinformation generation portion 103. The state display informationgeneration portion 103 generates state display information indicatingthe amount of ink for each color, and outputs the state displayinformation to the button 410.

In FIG. 4, the buttons 410 and 420 may display the amount of remainingink. When the ink is color ink, the amount of remaining ink for eachcolor is displayed. The user can recognize a degree of performance of acolor or black and white copy function that the apparatus can perform byusing state display information 415 and 425 output to the buttons 410and 420, respectively. Also, the user can detect whether ink issufficient or which color of ink is insufficient based on the statedisplay information 415 and 425.

FIG. 5 illustrates a display displaying state display informationaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referringto FIG. 5, a screen 500 of an apparatus includes a plurality of userinterfaces 510 through 540 through which particular functions that canbe performed by the apparatus can be requested. In FIG. 5, the userinterfaces 510 through 540 may be buttons or touch pads. A user is ableto request the performance of particular functions to the apparatus byusing the user interfaces 510 through 540. The state detection portion101 accumulates the number of requests for performing each particularfunction using the respective user interfaces 510 through 540. The statedetection portion 101 sends the accumulated number of requests forperforming each particular function to the state display informationgeneration portion 103. The state display information generation portion103 generates state display information indicating which function ismore used by using the accumulated number and outputs the state displayinformation to the user interfaces 510 through 540. The apparatus canoutput the state display information by outputting the number obtainedby accumulating the number of requests for performing a particularfunction from the user directly to the user interfaces 510 through 540.

As shown in FIG. 5, the state display information can be displayed usinga flower as a metaphorical indicator. When the user mostly uses a faxfunction, the state display information of a blossoming flower is outputto the user interface 520, which is used to request the performance of afax function. In an exemplary embodiment where the user infrequentlyuses the user interface 540 to request a performance of a storeddocuments function, the state display information is output as a groupof flower buds or a drooping flower. The user can intuitively recognizethe frequency of performing a particular function by seeing a degree ofblooming of a flower.

FIG. 6 illustrates state display information according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, an apparatusoutputs state display information 615, 625, 635, and 637. The apparatuscan output state display information 615, 625, 635, and 637 to userinterfaces 613, 623, and 633 or a separate screen. The state displayinformation 615, 625, 635, and 637 can be embodied in a variety ofmethods using, but not limited to, different colors, shapes, or sizes.The state display information indicating the order of the frequency ofperforming a function or a status regarding the amount of materialremaining after the performance of a function may be output using thechange in the brightness, transparency, or contrast of a color. In FIG.6, the state display information may be output from the state displayinformation 615 in the form of a smile face emotion icon to the statedisplay information 635 in the form of a crying or frowning face emotionicon according to the order of frequency of performing the functions ora degree of a particular function performance capability. When theamount of a particular article is not sufficient to perform a particularfunction, the state display information generation portion 103 generatesthe state display information 637 indicating the particular article isinsufficient. For example, when paper pf size A4 is insufficient, thestate display information generation portion 103 outputs the generatedstate display information to a screen 630 with a frowning face emotionicon 635. Thus, the user can easily and pleasantly recognize through thestate display information which article is insufficient in terms ofamount, which function is frequently used, and a generation state of anapparatus or a particular function performance capability state.

According to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a statedisplay method by which the state of an apparatus can be recognizedwithout a separate job by displaying the state of the apparatus on theapparatus and an apparatus for performing the method. Also, according tothe exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a state displaymethod in which a user interface may perform a function of displayingapparatus state display information in addition to a function ofdelivering a user's command by displaying the state of the apparatus inthe user interface and an apparatus for performing the method.

1. A method of displaying a state of an apparatus having a userinterface, the method comprising: generating state display informationindicating the state of the apparatus; and displaying the state displayinformation via the user interface wherein the state display informationindicates the state of the apparatus through a metaphorical indicator.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a button.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the state display information of theapparatus comprises at least one of: information indicating a generalstate of the apparatus; a possibility of performing a particularfunction by the apparatus; and information indicating an amount ofmaterial or a number of articles remaining to perform the particularfunction by the apparatus.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein thematerial or the articles comprise at least one of paper and ink.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the generating the state display informationcomprises: receiving a request to perform a particular function throughthe user interface; performing the particular function in response tothe request; detecting an amount of material or a number of articlesremaining after the particular function is performed; and generating thestate display information indicating a degree of the amount of materialor the number of articles in response to the detection.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the material comprises or the articles comprise atleast one of paper and ink.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein thegenerating the state display information further comprises: extractingthe state display information corresponding to the amount of material orthe number of articles that is detected among state display informationthat is already stored.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the generatingthe state display information further comprises: generating the statedisplay information indicating the degree of the amount of material orthe number of articles remaining after the particular function isperformed, if an amount of material or a number of articles that isconsumed to perform the particular function is plural.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the generating the state display information comprises:receiving a request to perform a particular function through the userinterface; accumulating a number of requests to perform the particularfunction; and generating state display information indicating theaccumulated number of requests.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein theapparatus includes a plurality of user interfaces through which arequest to perform a particular function is made through each userinterface, and the generating the state display information comprises:assigning an order according to the accumulated number of requests bycomparing the accumulated number of requests with an accumulation numberto perform another function; and generating state display informationindicating assigned order.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein thegenerating the state display information indicating the accumulatednumber of requests comprises extracting state display informationcorresponding to the accumulated number of requests to perform theparticular function among state display information that is alreadystored.
 12. An apparatus for displaying a state comprising: a statedisplay information processing portion which generates state displayinformation; and a user interface which outputs the state displayinformation, wherein the state display information indicates the stateof the apparatus through a metaphorical indicates.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the user interface comprises a button.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein the state display information comprisesat least one of: information which indicates a general state of theapparatus; a possibility of performing a particular function by theapparatus; and information which indicates an amount of material or anumber of articles remaining to perform the particular function by theapparatus.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the material comprisesor the articles comprise at least one of paper and ink.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein the state display information processingportion comprises: a state detection portion which detects a change inthe state of the apparatus; and a state display information generationportion which generates the state display information which correspondsto the change in the state of the apparatus.
 17. The apparatus of claim12, wherein the user interface receives a request to perform aparticular function and the state display information processing portioncomprises: a state detection portion which detects an amount of materialor a number of articles remaining after performing the particularfunction; and a state display information generation portion whichgenerates state display information which indicates a degree of theamount of material or the number of articles.
 18. The apparatus of claim17, wherein the material comprises or the articles comprise at least oneof paper and ink.
 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the statedisplay information processing portion further comprises: a statedisplay information storing portion which stores the state displayinformation; the state display information generation portion whichextracts the state display information which corresponds to the amountof material or the number of articles detected by the detection portionamong the state display information stored in the state displayinformation storing portion.
 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, ifplural types of materials or articles are used to perform the particularfunction, the state display information generation portion generatesstate display information indicating a degree of the amount of each ofthe types of the materials or the number of each of the articlesremaining after performing the particular function.
 21. The apparatus ofclaim 12, wherein the user interface receives a request to perform aparticular function and the state display information processing portioncomprises: a state detection portion which accumulates a number ofrequests to perform a particular function made through the userinterface; and a state display information generation portion whichgenerates state display information which indicates the accumulatednumber of requests.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the statedisplay information processing portion further comprises: a statedisplay information storing portion which stores the state displayinformation; and the state display information generation portionextracts state display information which corresponds to the number ofrequests to perform the particular function detected by the detectionportion among the state display information stored in the state displayinformation storing portion.